The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
As altitude of a vehicle increases, air pressure experienced by the vehicle decreases, which affects the engine performance of the vehicle. Engine operating parameters, such as air intake and fuel supply, may be modified based on the altitude to improve engine performance.
A vehicle may include an altitude or barometric pressure sensor to detect a current altitude. Over time the altitude sensor and/or corresponding circuitry may degrade and provide an inaccurate indication of altitude. This can negatively affect engine operation and can also negatively affect operation of an automatic transmission
An automatic transmission of the vehicle may operate based on information received from the engine and/or an engine control system. For example, the transmission may determine an appropriate gear ratio and/or a rate of transitioning between gear ratios based on an estimated power output signal from the engine control system. When an inaccurate altitude signal is generated, the estimated power output signal may also be inaccurate, resulting in improper transmission operation.
The inclusion of an altitude sensor on a vehicle also increases vehicle hardware, which increases vehicle costs.